I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing and restful break.  Congratulations to our high school swimmers who spent their break swimming ending their season this past weekend with two state championships!  Last year was the first time a school had ever had both the boys and girls team win a swim and dive state championship in the same year.  And to repeat that feat again is amazing.

We are back in the pool this week…only two weeks left…wow!!  Please read below for info about our intra squad meet and the championship meet!

• Intra Squad Meet – Our second annual intra squad meet is this Saturday, Feb. 27^th.

–          Arrival Time – 1:45 pm
–          Warm Up – 2:00 pm
–          Meet Starts – 2:30 pm

Every swimmer will swim 2 events and a relay.  The purpose of this meet is twofold: (1) To give everyone a chance to race in a meet setting.  We have such a long break between our last meet and championships that this is really important.   (2) To have fun!!

Please sign your swimmers up for the meet on the bulletin board.  As always, we will need our usual group of volunteers, so sign up for that too!

(NOTE:  This meet will take the place of practice on Sunday, Feb, 28^th).

• Championship Meet – The championship meet is Saturday, March 6^th at Boston University.  We assume that every member of the team will be swimming in the meet.  Please let Jeanne know if there is any issue with your child participating in the meet.  It is a fun meet and a great way to end the season.   The meet will be split into 2 sessions:

–          10&unders – Appx. 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

–          11&older – Appx. 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm

A separate email will be sent about the championship meet with directions, arrival times, and volunteer slots needed to be filled.

• Pizza Night Help Needed – We are in need of some people to help with the early shift on the last two pizza Thursdays.  Please contact Maureen Tillett (mctillett@verizon.net) if you can help.
• Locker Room Fixtures – Please remind your kids to treat the fixtures in the locker rooms (toilets, sinks, shower handles) with care.  We’ve only got a few more weeks and we need to keep everything in working order!
• Missing Team Suits – Brian Carmichael and Abby Obar are missing their team suits.  Please check your kids’ swim bags and suits and see if you might have their suits…names should be on the inside tag.
• Schedule – Here is the practice/meet schedule for the remainder of the season:

–          Tuesday, Feb. 23^rd – Practice as usual

–          Thursday, Feb. 25^th – Practice as usual

–          Saturday, Feb. 27^th – Intra Squad Meet

–          Sunday, Feb. 28^th – NO PRACTICE  (good luck to everyone in the spelling bee!)

–          Tues., March 2^nd – Practice as usual

–          Thurs., March 4^th – Practice as usual

–          Saturday, March 6^th – Championship meet

Our team picture is Tuesday, March 2nd…

• Please have swimmers wear their team suits.
• There are 2 picture times scheduled…if your child cannot make the one for his/her age group, please feel free to come to the other picture time.  It all becomes one big picture in the end!
  • 4:45 pm – Ages 5-10
  • 6:15 pm – Ages 11&up

That is it for this week!  See you at the pool!!

Jeanne

• Swimmers of the Week – This week’s swimmers of the week are Fiona McHarg, Phoebe Morss, Jack Schwartz and Charlie Cundari. Fiona, Jack and Charlie all swam events at the Flaherty meet that are not necessarily their favorite. However, in each case their swims earned crucial points for our team. Not one of them complained about swimming an “off event” and they truly swam their best for the team. In several cases they were the only Wayland swimmer in their event! Phoebe had a phenomenal relay swim at the end of the meet to touch out her opponent. She was a bit behind going into the final relay leg against a girl who had touched her out in the 50 free. Knowing that the meet was very close, she put her head down and swam her heart out and hit the wall first. True team efforts by all four swimmers. Congratulations Fiona, Phoebe, Jack and Charlie!

• Intra Squad Meet – Mark your calendars for our second annual intra squad meet! It will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27^th at 2:00 pm. We will not practice Sunday, Feb. 28^th (spelling bee).   Since we have a month between our last dual meet and championships, the intra squad meet will give swimmers a chance to race before the championship meet. More details to follow!

• February Vacation Schedule – We will be offering some optional practices for those of you who are around during Feb. break. A separate email will be sent with the schedule.

• Stroke Clinic – Jen Dutton, one of our coaches, will be offering a stroke clinic during February vacation again this year. A separate email will be sent with the details.

• Championship Meet – The championship meet is Saturday, March 6^that Boston University. We assume that every member of the team will be swimming in the meet. Please let Jeanne know if there is any issue with your child participating in the meet. It is a fun meet and a great way to end the season.   The meet will be split into 2 sessions:

• Missing Team Suits – Brian Carmichael and Abby Obar are missing their team suits. Please check your kids’ swim bags and suits and see if you might have their suits…names should be on the inside tag.

• Money Raised for Haiti – Last week we raised $120 from our pizza sales that will be sent to the Red Cross for relief in Haiti. Thanks to everyone for making this happen!

• Pizza Night Help Needed – We are in need of some people to help with the early shift on the next few pizza Thursdays. Please contact Maureen Tillett (mctillett@verizon.net) if you can help.

• Swimmers of the Week – This week’s swimmers of the week are Ben Cerrato, Iain Brogan, Daniel Castillo and Grady LaRochelle. At our meet, we did not have any 15/18 boys to swim the breaststroke. Mystic Valley had three older boys who are excellent breaststrokers. We asked Ben and Iain to swim up an age group against these boys. We explained that we get one point no matter what if we have someone in the event. If we didn’t have a swimmer in the event, we would score no points. Ben and Iain readily agreed to swim so they could score a needed point for the team. Daniel and Grady joined Ben and Iain for the 15/18 freestyle relay. Again, they were up against boys several years older and about twice their size. By swimming, they scored 4 needed points for the team. If they hadn’t been willing to swim up an age group, we would not have scored any points. None of these four boys hesitated when asked to swim these events for the team. That is a true example of putting the team before yourself. Congratulations Ben, Iain, Daniel and Grady!!
• Next Meet – Our final dual meet of the season is this Sunday (yes, Sunday!), Feb. 7^th at Flaherty in Roslindale. Flaherty is an excellent team and this will definitely be an extremely competitive meet. We hope everyone will be there! Please sign up on the bulletin board. Directions to the pool will be sent separately. Timing is:

• Intrasquad Meet – We have a 4 week period with no meets before championships. Last year we had our first annual Black vs. Orange meet and we plan to do that again this year. It will take place after February vacation and will give the kids a chance to race before Championships. Stay tuned for details.
   
• Championship Meet – The championship meet is Saturday, March 6^that Boston University. We assume that every member of the team will be swimming in the meet. Please let Jeanne know if there is any issue with your child participating in the meet. It is a fun meet and a great way to end the season.   The meet will be split into 2 sessions:

What a great meet this weekend!  We went in as the underdog and every swimmer gave it their all and garnered a few extra points here and there putting us on top when all was said and done.  When we reviewed the results, it was clear that it really was that extra effort the kids put in that made the difference.  Many swimmers had personal best times and touched out their opponent causing them to move up in the scoring.  It was often only a one point gain for our team, but that was one less for the other team and over the course of the meet those “one points” built up.  Congratulations to all on a wonderful team effort!  And thanks to all the parents for making the meet run smoothly…it went much more quickly than anticipated.  News for this week…

• Swimmer of the Week – This week’s swimmer of the week is Sam Cahaly.  We spoke to Sam before Sunday’s meet about swimming 2 events (fly and breast) that may not be his favorite.  We explained to him that some of his 7&8 year old teammates would be missing so we needed to fill in those 2 events.  Sam readily agreed to swim those events for the team and during warm up he worked really hard on his fly and breast starts.  He had amazing swims in the meet and really showed what it is to be a team player…to put the team before himself and swim events that would help the team.  Congratulations Sam!!
• Focus of the Week – We will continue with starts, turns and butterfly this week.  Ask your swimmers about it!
• Next Meet – Our next meet is this Saturday, Jan. 30^th against Mystic Valley at home.  Again, another very competitive team.  This is the first time they have come to our pool (we’ve gone to them the past few years).  Timing is:

–          Arrival – 11:40 am

–          Warm Up – 11:50 am

–          Meet Starts – 12:30 pm

Please, please, please sign up on the bulletin board as to whether your swimmer is coming.  If you aren’t at the pool to do so, just send me a note.

• Volunteers – As always, we need our usual crew of volunteers to run a smooth meet.  Please sign up on the bulletin board.  A gentle reminder…every family is asked to volunteer at a minimum of one meet during the season.  We only have 2 left!  If you are having trouble finding a volunteer spot, let me know…we always have things that need to be done!
• Special Pizza Night Thursday – Many swimmers have asked about doing something for Haiti.  So, this Thursday all proceeds from pizza night will be donated to the Red Cross’ efforts in Haiti.  Thanks to Maureen Tillett and Jennifer Mcleod for organizing this.
• Championship Meet – The championship meet is Saturday, March 6^th at Boston University.  We assume that every member of the team will be swimming in the meet.  Please let Jeanne know if there is any issue with your child participating in the meet.  It is a fun meet and a great way to end the season.   The meet will be split into 2 sessions:

–          10&unders – Appx. 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

–          11&older – Appx. 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm

More details will follow as the date gets closer.

• Lost and Found – The lost and found is overflowing.  Please check it this week as all items will be donated to charity at the end of the week.

That is it for this week!  See you at the pool!

Jeanne

• Swimmer of the Week – This week’s swimmer of the week is Matt Cramer. Matt is an eighth grader who is a wonderful role model to all of the swimmers on the team. He has an amazing work ethic and his hard work certainly pays off…his times keep getting faster and faster! He also is deeply caring towards every member of our team. If you watch him at a meet, he is always cheering for his fellow teammates, giving high-fives to the younger swimmers, and always psyching up and complimenting the members of any relay team he is on. He notices when a swimmer might be troubled and lets the coaches know. Matt is an excellent example of what it means to be a team player. Congratulations Matt!

• Next Meet – Our next meet is Sunday, Jan. 24^th (yes…Sunday). Timing is:

• Volunteers – As always, we need our regular number of volunteers to make this meet run smoothly. A gentle reminder…all families are asked to volunteer in some capacity at a minimum of one meet. We only have 3 meets left (2 home and 1 away), so if you still need to fulfill your volunteer commitment please do so. If you are having trouble finding a volunteer position, please see Jeanne…there is always something that needs to be done!

• Focus of the Week – We have been working hard on our backstroke finishes! This week we will continue that focus and also work on butterfly.
   
• Swim Champions Tour – Many of you have seen the flyers in the lobby about the upcoming Swim Champions Fitter and Faster tour that is coming to Sudbury on Jan. 24^th. There are 2 sessions (AM and PM). For more information, visit www.swimchampions.com and click on the Boston, MA location.

• Pizza Night – Thursday pizza night continues this Thursday!
   
• Lobby Monitor Shifts – The lobby monitor shifts are posted next to the bulletin board. Please check the list for your shift. If you are unable to make your shift, it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Thanks for your help with this!

• Swimmers of the Week – This week’s swimmers of the week are Everett Tillett and Theo Hieronymus. Everett had some amazing swims Saturday beginning with his 100 IM. Having only recently mastered a legal breaststroke, Everett put his skills to work and amazed all of us. Later he was anchor of the 200 medley relay where he started several body lengths behind his competition. He put his heart into the race and it came right down to the wire. Although the Wayland team was out touched by .02 seconds, Everett’s efforts exhibited true team spirit and reflected his hard work this season. Theo is a new 8^th grader to our team this year and has put in a lot of really hard work to learn all the strokes. Not only does Theo exhibit a great work ethic, but he impressed the coaches Saturday when he shook his competition’s hand after their race. Acknowledging your competition’s swim after a race is one of the truest forms of good sportsmanship. Congratulations Everett and Theo!
• Focus of the Week – This week we will focus on backstroke turns and finishes. Check out the posters in the lobby!
• Next Meet – Our next meet is Sunday, January 24^th against Longfellow. As mentioned in the last update, these last 3 dual meets will be our most competitive meets of the season. We look forward to everyone’s participation so we can give each meet our best team effort!
• Pizza Night – Thursday pizza night continues this Thursday!
• Team Suits – Please take a moment to check your swimmer’s team suits and make sure you have the right one. All suits should have names written on the tags (if they don’t, please put your child’s name in permanent marker on the tag). Some swimmers are missing their suits. Also, check the lost and found. You would be amazed at how many team suits (and other items) end up there after practices and meets!
• Lobby Monitor Shifts – The lobby monitor shifts are posted next to the bulletin board. Please check the list for your shift. If you are unable to make your shift, it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Thanks for your help with this!

Happy New Year!  I hope all of you are refreshed after the holiday break.  If you are like me, it was hard to get back into the swing of things today!  News for this week…

***Tuesday Practice:  There is a possibility that the Wayland pool will be closed for the day on Tuesday, 1/5/10.  I will know the status by 11:00 am Tuesday and will send an email with the practice plan for the day.  So please make sure you check your email before heading to the pool.***

• Next Meet – We begin the second half of our meet schedule this Saturday with a home meet against NAC.  Timing is:

–          11:40 am – Arrival

–          11:55 am – Warm up

–          12:30 pm – Meet starts

Please sign up on the bulletin board as to whether your swimmer will attend the meet.

• Meet Comment – Our toughest competition will be the last 3 meets of the season (Jan. 24^th, Jan. 30^th and Feb. 7^th) and we will need all of our swimmers!  If you are planning to miss a meet out of the next 4, the meet this weekend is the best one to miss!
• Volunteers – We need our usual group of volunteers for the meet this weekend.  Some of our “regulars” won’t be available as they will be setting up for the evening’s pool party.  So if you are waiting to get your meet volunteer requirement in, this is the weekend to do it!  (Just a gentle reminder that all families are asked to volunteer at a minimum of one home meet during the season.)
• Focus of the Week – This week we begin our focus on backstroke.  Check out the posters in the lobby!
• Pizza Thursday – Pizza night resumes Thursday!
• Pool Party! – This Saturday is the Wayland Community Pool Party from 8:00 pm – midnight at Sandy Burr.  The party is to raise awareness and funds for the new town pool…construction begins in March.  The RSVP date has been extended to Thursday, Jan. 7^th.  If you’ve misplaced your paper invitation, go to www.waylandcommunitypool.org for an electronic version.  Hope to see you there!
• Lobby Monitor Shifts – The lobby monitor shifts are posted next to the bulletin board.  Please check the list for your shift.  If you are unable to make your shift, it is your responsibility to find a replacement.  Thanks for your help with this!

That is it for this week!  As always, thanks for your flexibility!

Jeanne

• Sun., 12/27 – No Practice

• Mon., 12/28 (Yes..Monday) – Optional Practice

• Thurs., 12/31 – Optional Practice

• Sun., 1/3 – Practice as Usual

• Swimmer of the Week – This week’s swimmer of the week is Ava Khadjenoori. Ava started swimming with the team last year as a 7^th grader. She works incredibly hard in practice…last week we did some longer distances with 200s and Ava pushed each and every 200. In meets, she is always willing to swim whatever is needed. She often “gets” to swim butterfly which she always does with a smile on her face despite it not being her favorite stroke. She attends most every practice and meet and she is a true team player. Congratulations Ava!

• Practice Schedule – For this week:
  • –Tuesday, Dec. 22^nd – Practice as usual
  • –Thursday, Dec. 24^th – NO PRACTICE…MERRY CHRISTMAS!

• Next Meet – Our next meet is Jan. 9^th at home.

• Caps – Please take a moment to make sure your girls (and boys with long hair) have caps in their swim bags. We have a number of girls who show up for practice without a cap.  We can usually scrounge around and find one for them to use, but if they could actually come with a cap it would be great! Caps are required in the pool. Thanks!

• Ribbons – Please check the file bins for your meet ribbons.

• Website – Many, many thanks to Kim Reichelt for updating and maintaining our Jr. Warriors website. If you haven’t had a chance, check it out at www.waylandjw.com. We plan to add meet results to the site and would love your feedback on other things we can add. Thank you Kim!

• New Pool Party – By now, all of you should have received an invitation to the “pool party” on Jan. 9^th for the new pool. It will be a fun night for everyone! Please remember to RSVP. And if you need another copy of the invitation, go to www.waylandcommunitypool.org for the online version.

• Lobby Monitor Shifts – The lobby monitor shifts are posted next to the bulletin board. Please check the list for your shift. If you are unable to make your shift, it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Thanks for your help with this!

We had a nice meet last weekend.  Lots of swimmers got a chance to swim events that they don’t normally swim and despite some pushback from some of the kids, they all swam really well.  Many, many thanks to all the parents who helped with the meet.  You all plan a vital role in making things go smoothly.  Suburban commented on what a good meet we ran and frankly, it is the result of all parents who step up to help.  Thanks!  Our next meet is not until January 9th…enjoy the free Saturdays!

News for the week…

***TUESDAY PRACTICE SCHEDULE CHANGE…SEE BELOW****

• Swimmers of the Week – This week’s swimmers of the week are Daniel Lavenson, Rosie Kiefer, Matthew Karle, Becca Wuerfl, Anna Downs and Blake Welti.  All of these swimmers were asked at the last minute to fill in on relays where there were sudden holes (swimmers who had to leave early or who hadn’t come to the meet).  Daniel, Rosie, Matthew, Becca, Anna and Blake did not hesitate at all to run and be part of a relay at the last minute…in a few cases, some of them had to put their suits back on to swim!  What their actions meant is that the rest of the swimmers on those relays were still able to swim in a relay.  Congratulations to Daniel, Rosie, Matthew, Becca, Anna and Blake for being selfless and true team players!  
   
• Tuesday Practice Change – There is a high school meet Tuesday, Dec. 15th at the pool.  Our schedule will change as follows:

–    6&unders – NO PRACTICE
–    7/8s – NO PRACTICE
–    9/10s – Practice as usual
–    6th/7th/8th grade – Practice as usual

• Pool Protocol – As you all know, we are back in the pool.  The DPW worked tirelessly to get the pool up and running and it looks great.  There are a few things we need to do to help keep the pool clean and running smoothly until March…

–    Showers – All swimmers must take a soap shower before entering the pool.
–    Foot Traffic – We need to minimize the street shoes that are on the pool deck.  Please limit the foot traffic (with shoes) to the bleacher area.
–    Use of facilities – Please remind your swimmers to use the facilities before they get into the pool.
–    Caps – All girls (and boys with long hair) MUST wear caps.  Please help your swimmers remember their caps.

If we all work together on this, we will minimize the likelihood for any problems at the pool in the next few months.

• Focus of the Week – The coaches made several observations at the meet this weekend that we have talked to the kids about…holding the ready position on starts, keeping heads still in breaststroke, and not breathing from the flags to the wall in freestyle.  The observations are posted at the pool.  Take a minute to read them and ask your swimmer about them!
   
• Lobby Monitor Shifts – The lobby monitor shifts are posted next to the bulletin board.  Please check the list for your shift.  If you are unable to make your shift, it

That is it for this week!  See you at the pool!
Jeanne